300 gold coin a bandit

With a flick of my wrist, black flames danced at my fingertips, the love letters curling into ash within seconds. Carin watched, her eyebrows arching in mock disapproval.

"You're mean, you could at best go and see these girls face to face to tell them that you don't love them," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I sighed, the weight of unrequited affections heavy on my shoulders. "It's better what I've done than to go and break their hearts straight away," I replied, turning away from the smoldering pile to face the mission board.

The board was a vast array of parchment and paper, each sheet a call to adventure. Missions of all kinds beckoned, from the mundane to the perilous, each with its own reward. The wood was polished to a shine, the golden trim catching the light, making the offers seem all the more enticing.

"What kind of mission will I be able to take on?" I said looking at the board, there was a mission to escort someone for 20 gold coins but it was far too little as you had to stay with the person for at least a week.

My eyes scanned the options, dismissing the trivial tasks until one caught my eye. "This one doesn't look too bad," I murmured, plucking the sheet from the board.

The mission was clear: stop the bandits in Alphacrest for a reward of 300 gold coins. The sum was substantial, the task seemingly straightforward.

I approached Carin once more, the paper firm in my grasp. "Carin, I'll take this mission," I declared, handing her the sheet.

She examined it, her expression turning thoughtful. "It's a well-paying mission for a simple bandits, it's weird, maybe you shouldn't do it," she cautioned.

But my mind was made up. "I'm an A-rank mage, of course I'll pass easily," I assured her, confidence lacing my words. Carin seemed to weigh my determination, then relented, handing back the sheet.

"Be careful," she said, her voice softening. I nodded, tucking the mission into my belt. The guild was bustling around me, but in that moment, there was a quiet understanding between us. I was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead in Alphacrest.

I stepped out of the guild, the mission sheet a tangible promise of the challenge ahead. Alphacrest was 5 hours by car and 1 hour and 30 minutes by train, a journey I could navigate with ease. "I'm going to take the train," I decided, "but first, I need to gather a few things. It could take all weekend."

My walk home was brisk, my mind already cataloging what I would need. The gate creaked slightly as I pushed it open, and the familiar silence of the house greeted me. The servants were present, their presence felt rather than heard, shadows flitting through the vast, empty halls.

I ascended the staircase two steps at a time, eager to prepare. In my room, I grabbed my trusty bag, depositing a wad of money and a bottles of water inside. "I'll buy the food directly from there," I reasoned, thinking of the local delicacies that awaited in Alphacrest.

As I turned to leave, Cookies, sauntered in, her tail high in the air.

"It's been a while since I saw you," I said, crouching to stroke her soft fur. "I wonder where you've been."

She purred contentedly, nuzzling my hand. "Look, you've really put on weight. I wonder if the maids don't feed you too much," I mused, noticing her fuller figure.

Standing up, I glanced around the room one last time. "Well, I've got no time to lose. I'd better get to the station now so I can catch a train," I declared, feeling a surge of motivation.

With a final pat for Cookies, I shouldered my bag and headed out, the anticipation of the upcoming mission fueling my steps. The path to the station was clear in my mind, each step taking me closer to the station and I hope that everything was going to be well.

The train station was a hive of activity, a symphony of sounds and a kaleidoscope of movement. The air was thick with the scent of coffee from nearby vendors, mingling with the metallic tang of the tracks.

People swarmed around me, a river of commuters and travelers, each absorbed in their own journey.

The loudspeaker crackled to life intermittently, announcing arrivals and departures in a voice that somehow rose above the din. Trains hissed and clanked, doors sliding open to disgorge a flood of passengers before swallowing up another eager crowd.

Above, the vast ceiling arched, a canopy of steel and glass that bathed the concourse in natural light. The walls were lined with timetables and maps, digital displays flickering with updates. I navigated through the throngs, my steps purposeful, my mind already racing ahead to Alphacrest.

Ticket booths lined one side of the station, attendants behind the glass serving a never-ending queue of patrons. I joined the line, my eyes scanning the faces around me—families, solo adventurers, business travelers, all sharing this space in time.

The turnstiles clicked and whirred as I passed through, the platform stretching out before me. The train to Alphacrest awaited, its sleek form a promise of speed and efficiency.

I found my carriage and settled in, the seat firm beneath me, the anticipation of the mission settling into a quiet determination. As the train pulled away from the station, the cityscape began to blur, and my adventure had truly begun.

The gentle sway of the train lulled me into a light doze, the rhythmic clacking of the wheels against the tracks a soothing lullaby.

I was jolted awake by a tap on my shoulder, and a man's voice informed me that we had arrived at my destination. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I gathered my belongings and stepped off the train, unfolding the mission paper as I did so.

The address was just a short walk from the station, a small house according to the description. "Let's do this," I murmured to myself, a hint of determination in my voice as I exited the train station.

Alphacrest was a town seemingly frozen in time, where modernity and antiquity coexisted. Ancient cars rumbled down the cobblestone streets alongside horse-drawn carriages, their passengers indifferent to the anachronism.

"These people are old-fashioned," I thought, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.

I arrived at the red house, its vibrant color standing out against the more subdued hues of its neighbors. As I raised my hand to knock, the door swung open abruptly, and I was yanked inside, a cold blade pressed against my neck.

"What are you doing here?" the bald man demanded, his grip firm but his voice betraying a hint of curiosity.

"I'm only here for the mission," I replied calmly, my training allowing me to swiftly disarm him and step back. The tension dissipated as he chuckled and sheathed his knife.

"It's 300 gold coin a bandit," he stated, and I couldn't hide my shock. Three hundred gold coins per bandit? Was he serious?

"You look surprised, but nobody had accepted my offer before," he observed, his gaze sharp.

"Why?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

He sat down before answering, "It's because the bandits are demon prisoners who escaped from the prison of the demon queen."

His words hung in the air, heavy with implication. This was no ordinary mission; these were not mere bandits, but demons who had fled the most secure prison in the realm.